You know you've come a long way in the fight for equality when the people you come across at the Gay Pride Parade in San Francisco are these guys.
![2013_gay-pride_04](http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3682/9179079132_b176f82831.jpg)
On the right is Mitch Mayne, one of the driving forces behind reconciling Mormons with the LGBT community post Prop 8. Aside from being a really nice guy, he also showed a good sense of humor when we ran into him this morning as everyone was gearing up for a historic parade celebrating the demise of Prop 8 and DOMA:
"Don't worry, it'll be more than just the two of us joining the parade."
Indeed, he was not lying, as just a couple of hours later about 150 Mormons marched down Market Street to celebrate LOVE in all shapes and forms along with tens of thousands of San Franciscans.
![2013_gay-pride_40](http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2866/9179056308_98372488b9.jpg)
We've come a long way. While there's still work to be done in the struggle for equality, today was a day to celebrate the truly remarkable progress that has been made in the last few years, culminating in this week's Supreme Court rulings.
Speaking of for the Supreme Court: "Put a ring on it!"
![2013_gay-pride_05](http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3729/9176861775_ddae3300a4.jpg)
Below the orange engagement diamond, a photo journey through a marvelous day in San Francisco...
![2013_gay-pride_02](http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3673/9176862767_78327da397.jpg)
Gay Pride Parade, June 30, 2013, San Francisco
![2013_gay-pride_01](http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5512/9176863055_fde2267903.jpg)
My sweetie Deb and I decided to head downtown early, to get some behind-the-scenes shots before the big crowds arrived. Aside from the Mormons and the Supremes, the Safeway guys were loading up their shopping carts...
![2013_gay-pride_07](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7365/9179076710_7380479924.jpg)
and creating one of my favorite rainbow flags of the day...
![2013_gay-pride_08](http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5505/9179075978_995ef9e64e.jpg)
Spotted a couple of adorable gnomes...
![2013_gay-pride_10](http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3727/9179074628_6193c35751.jpg)
and dykes on bikes getting ready...
![2013_gay-pride_11](http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5453/9176856687_3542f7012d.jpg)
looking colorful...
![2013_gay-pride_15](http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5441/9176854339_d9ac980eb5.jpg)
powerful...
![2013_gay-pride_18](http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5448/9176852211_a7714708cf.jpg)
badass...
![2013_gay-pride_16](http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2893/9179070436_157b39e6ac.jpg)
and just plain wonderful...
![2013_gay-pride_14](http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2869/9176855025_c3ac7a87ee.jpg)
and despite the all-encompassing good-lovingness I think a little bit of in-your-face gloating was absolutely in order (check out the super-sized blingy ring the lady on the right is wearing)...
![2013_gay-pride_17](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7448/9179070466_1fde5d47d6.jpg)
It was diversity within diversity. We found ourselves a spot at Market and Beale where the different groups were gathering to line up in the right spot...
![2013_gay-pride_21](http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3795/9179067422_25d5a92a8c.jpg)
before launching themselves...
![2013_gay-pride_25](http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3674/9176847423_b5e93ce1dd.jpg)
into the parade...
![2013_gay-pride_24](http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2813/9179065620_7c1ccca634.jpg)
As usual, the parade was attended by a who's who of politicians and dignitaries, but this year the confluence of politics and activism was probably even more meaningful.
Gavin Newsom, who started it all when as newly-elected San Francisco Mayor he issued a directive to the city-county clerk to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples in 2004, getting some beads on his son Hunter before turning onto Market Street.
![2013_gay-pride_27](http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2816/9176846149_5db080cf7a.jpg)
California Attorney General Kamala Harris, whose refusal to defend the abominable Proposition 8 laid the foundation for SCOTUS' punt last Wednesday, was looking royally marvelous...
![2013_gay-pride_28](http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3815/9179062716_a4e3471c2e.jpg)
It was nice to see solidarity with the people who got their equal rights curbed by the same SCOTUS this week..
![2013_gay-pride_31](http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5350/9176843531_afd047acb8.jpg)
and quite a few reminders of the controversy over whether Bradley Manning should be embraced by the gay comunity.
![2013_gay-pride_51](http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3802/9179048798_099abfe5d6.jpg)
Tying together marriage equality, freedom of speech, and immigrant rights is really not a stretch...
![2013_gay-pride_36](http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3674/9179058166_5329d87cf1.jpg)
But in the end, today was really about Wham, Blap, Biff, and Biff!
![2013_gay-pride_32](http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3833/9176843799_79bee4f24d.jpg)
It was about celebrating new love...
![2013_gay-pride_35](http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2857/9179058498_8e454fa2ea.jpg)
and reaffirming long-term commitment...
![2013_gay-pride_33](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7404/9179059726_7d8d035c67.jpg)
whether it was delivered Americana-style...
![2013_gay-pride_34](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7351/9176842037_1a469d906f.jpg)
or Euro super-Smart...
![2013_gay-pride_23](http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2832/9179066026_29a0637ce6.jpg)
It really was about family values...
![2013_gay-pride_39](http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3753/9176839145_9a03352aa7.jpg)
and as if guided by divine intervention, that's when the aforementioned Mormon contingent that Mitch Mayne had promised started to show up in full force...
![2013_gay-pride_41](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7397/9176827925_052b8d4423.jpg)
What better measure of faith in a higher power than to be loving and tolerant of love...
![2013_gay-pride_43](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7396/9179055242_6704d4cf70.jpg)
God was smiling today...
![2013_gay-pride_42](http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3834/9176837767_e58d95eb11.jpg)
After we saw the last group off onto Market Street, Deb and I decided to skip the big rally at Civic Center and move back to quieter pastures. While we felt like we got a really good soaking in this truly historic and uplifting happening, the party had really just begun...
![2013_gay-pride_49](http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2852/9176833939_7ee4331d2c.jpg)
Back in our Mission neighborhood, we caught this beautiful display in a shop window that I think sums up this entire week.
![2013_gay-pride_53](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7335/9176830689_2883ce78a4.jpg)
Happy Equality! Happy Love! Happy Victory!
o~O~o~O~o~O~o~O~o~O~o~
crossposted at A World of Words